This invention relates to the control of animatronic devices over a network. Specifically, this invention describes a method and apparatus for controlling animatronic devices over the Internet.
There are currently many technologies that allow users to communicate over a network in real-time xe2x80x9cchatsxe2x80x9d. Users can either log on to servers using a web browser or specialized software and then xe2x80x9cconversexe2x80x9d with other users using text-based real-time messaging. One such example is the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) protocol. On IRC, several persons can simultaneously participate in a discussion over a particular xe2x80x98channelxe2x80x99, or even multiple channels. There is no restriction to the number of people that can participate in a given discussion, or the number of channels that can be formed over IRC.
Even as most real-time chat programs are text based, attempts have been made to add some additional multimedia and/or features to these programs by adding sound or other graphical animation to supplement the text that is generated by the user. For example, if a first user types the acronym xe2x80x9clolxe2x80x9d, which stands for xe2x80x9claugh out loudxe2x80x9d, when the user is communicating with a second user, a sound clip can be played at the computer of the second user that is of a laugh. Other examples include having a animated character on the screen that moves or has facial expressions in accordance to what is being typed on screen.
Although the addition of sounds and animation increases the simulation of interactivity for a user, these additions are limited to the computer and there is no three-dimensional interactivity. For example, there is no interaction with an animatronic device such as a doll that operates with a chat program.
One current product that exists under the market name xe2x80x9cActivematesxe2x80x9d, as marketed by Microsoft Corporation, operate with the computer and applicable software to allow a computer user to run programs (content) associated with an animatronic device. This software can send/play audio through the device, and also control or trigger control of the mouth on the device to animate it. However, this product provides feedback based on the user""s actions locally, and does not offer control from another user, either directly or indirectly. Specifically, there is no provision for controlling the device over a network such as the Internet.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method and apparatus for controlling animatronic devices over the Internet. Specifically, it would be desirable to have a device that may add to the experience of chat rooms. For users not active in chat-rooms, it would be desirable to allow their devices to become animated through a web site. This would allow content creators to use the technology to control the animatronic characters in conjunction with their web content.
What is disclosed is an article including a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which when executed, causes receipt of a control request from a first client for an animatronic device located on a second client and determining if the control request is serviceable by the animatronic device. In addition, the instructions also include sending the control request unaltered to the second client if the control request is serviceable by the animatronic device, and modifying the control request to a serviceable control request if the control request is not serviceable by the animatronic device.